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In a little while. When he finished this investigation. He'd have to come up with an antidote for this Krynoid variation, or there'd be no choice but to evacuate the tourists and flash-bomb the casino to the ground. And if he was honest with himself, he really wasn't feeling p to a full-blown confrontation over the matter with the owners. Sighing deeply, the Doctor turned his attention back to the problem literally lying before him. The seedpod sat immersed in a vat of liquid methane on the bench. The Krynoids had invaded so many planets, often succeeding at wiping out all animal life. And at least two pods had made it to Earth during the Pleistocene era. It was only the immense cold of their landing site that had kept them from germinating. But Krynoids are infinitely patient...those had lain dormant until found by scientists in the 20th century. Which was when he and Sarah Jane had been called in. Sarah Jane, he mused. It had been ages since he'd thought of her…he really ought to pop back to Earth and see how she was doing. Loyal and dependable, she'd been the closest he'd ever had to a best friend. Not at all like young Adric, a sulky boy who's troubled past made him tend to wander off and get into trouble. There was no telling what mischief he'd gotten up to now. The Skull-Faced Man approached, an automated luggage carrier hovering behind him containing a large, bulky sack. Gianna smiled thinly. "Any problems?" "Nothing I couldn't handle," hissed the hooded man. "There was a boy with her - about fifteen with bad hair and a yellow tunic. Fancied himself the hero, but security grabbed him and I was able to slip away. Want me to deal with him?" She shook her head. "No, forget about him. He's no threat to us now, and he'll give some credibility to her story." "Do you think she bought that stuff about her father wiping out my empire?" Gianna laughed. "Believe me, she will. Not too bright, these society girls. You wouldn't believe how hard it's been to think down at their level these past few months." She walked over to the sack. "Sleep soundly, darling. We're just going for a little ride." And she motioned for the hooded man to lead the way toward the shuttles. They were preparing to leave, Adric realized, despite the orbital lockdown. For the briefest second, he considered just hitting the security alarm and letting the authorities deal with these kidnappers. But then a vision of Elizabeth's smile floated before his eyes, and he remembered the soft sensation of her kiss. Surely she'd be impressed and pleased when he came to her rescue. He grinned, contemplating how she might show her gratitude. Hugging the shadows, Adric slunk after Gianna and her associate. The duo and their unconscious victim paused beside a small dart-shaped flyer. "This do?" the Skull-faced Man asked. Gianna hunched down to study the ship's access panel. "Child's play." Shutting her eyes, she pressed her palm flat against the security scanner and after a long minute, the display chimed softly. A panel slid aside in the smooth skin of the flyer and a short ramp lowered to the ground. "Get her on board, then get rid of that carrier," she instructed, watching as the man hefted the sack onto his shoulder. "I'll run the pre-flight and we can get out of here." Adric pressed further back into the darkness as feet pounded once, then again on the ramp above his head. The man he thought of as 'the assassin' re-appeared in his line of sight, dragging the floating luggage carrier clear so it couldn't interfere with the ship anti- grav units. While the man's back was turned, the young Alzarian silently slipped up the ramp and into the tiny cargo area. Web 'pockets' lined the walls of the space but there were no storage bins. No lockers. Nowhere to hide. Except... His eyes fell on the bundle already strapped into one of the pockets. "Sorry about this, Elizabeth," Adric whispered, unhooking a corner of the webbing, then fumbling with the cord that tied the bag's mouth shut. The assassin paused to take one last look around the cargo space prior to strapping himself into the co-pilot's chair. The 'princess- in-a-bag' was still tucked against the wall, but one corner of the webbing had come loose. He snapped it back in place, noting that their prisoner didn't move. Good…if she stayed unconscious, maybe it'd be a quiet flight. Shutting down the lights, he turned to join Gianna in the cockpit. And inside the bag, spooned around Elizabeth's body, Adric released the tense breath he'd been holding. The expensive suit coat slid down his arms, and the man carefully draped the garment over the ornate valet. A moment more, and his highly polished Gentarian leather boots nestled in the alcove at the base of the stand. He stretched, reveling in the faintly painful pull of tightened muscle tissue. His home was aptly named Paradise, but nothing there could ever 'feel' quite like the fleshy wrapping he currently wore. Merging with this being has been beyond anything he had ever experienced - not the mind-expanding experience of tearing through neither the Barriers nor the soul chilling, cold, dry 'nothing' of Space. Not even the spirit-searing sensation of passing through a sun could approach the intense pleasure of veiling his essence in something 'physical'. It went well beyond any kind of ecstasy. Shaking himself out of his reverie, he crossed the plushly attired room and sank back onto the soft bed to consider his next step. This planet had been the first that he had visited, long before anyone had come here to claim and build. And it had been his 'base of operation' for decades as he had swept through this universe, extending his hand to many friends - disciples - across so many planets in so many galaxies. But sadly, never here. Never on Endora. Despite the many life forms that came and went through this casino, no one appropriate to his purposes had ever appeared. Until now. The soul-voice of a suitable Lifegiver had finally called to him as he had been reaching out friendly hands to a special few on the planet, Tirossa. These new friends, still uncertain within the mingling that had taken place, had been too vulnerable to be left to fend for themselves on their home planet. At the moment, they were safely resting from the long difficult journey in the suite next to his. He rolled gracefully off the bed, his musing at an end. Now was the time to follow the soul-voice and wake this Lifegiver. The hand of friendship could finally be extended. Endora would have to wait no more. The Doctor frowned again at the results in the petri dish. He'd tried culturing some of the ash that had once been junior security officer Liam Pitney, but there was no trace of life, human or Krynoid, in the remains. At one point, he'd even considered prying open the pod in order to take a sample, but had hurriedly dismissed the idea as far too dangerous. His hand again absently crept to his neck, rubbing at the bruised wound. If he could only obtain a few attenuated cells, there might be a chance at creating some sort of antidote…or anti-biotic…or anti- parasitic. He glanced up as a shadow fell across his work. A wiry, brunette man, immaculately dressed in a close-tailored dark suit, smiled charmingly back at him from the other side of the table. But he didn't move, or say anything. Even the smile on his face stayed fixed. "Hello," the Doctor said cautiously after a minute. As if reanimated by that single word, the man suddenly beamed, and extended his hand. "Call me Kwanalapalendesh", he said by way of introduction. "I want to be your friend." }}